Mark Ruffalo and Leonardo DiCaprio are federal marshals looking for a missing mental patient in Martin Scorsese's latest thriller, "... Show More »

Mark Ruffalo and Leonardo DiCaprio are federal marshals looking for a missing mental patient in Martin Scorsese's latest thriller, "Shutter Island." Of course, if these guys ever bothered to watch TV or go to the movies, they'd have learned not to set one foot on the island, which houses the Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Because if movies and TV have taught us anything, it's that bad, awful, terrible things happen on islands.

Sure, a wedding where the entertainment turns out to be a serial killer -- as on CBS's short-lived series ... Show More »

Sure, a wedding where the entertainment turns out to be a serial killer -- as on CBS's short-lived series "Harper's Island" -- can be a bummer. Adding a homicidal maniac (and presumably, his or her plus-one) to the guest list isn't the problem, though: Having an island wedding is. Like we said: bad, bad things happen on islands...

Teenagers are already on edge with hormones and bullies, so throw groups of them on an island with limited weapons sca... Show More »

Teenagers are already on edge with hormones and bullies, so throw groups of them on an island with limited weapons scattered throughout and tell them that the only way they can get off is to kill each other, and you've got yourself a pretty tenuous situation.

The danger for Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) was mostly psychological, as he had to learn how to fend for himself and stay sane... Show More »

The danger for Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) was mostly psychological, as he had to learn how to fend for himself and stay sane without any contact from another human for four years. A volleyball just doesn't make very good conversation.

The scariness that was "Fantasy Island" had everything to do with Mr. Roarke ( Malcolm McDowell). From his pre... Show More »

The scariness that was "Fantasy Island" had everything to do with Mr. Roarke ( Malcolm McDowell). From his preferred dark suits over the traditional white ones, this '90s Roarke was all supernatural. He could turn you into a rat if you disobeyed his orders and half the time you didn't know if you were getting your fantasy or being dipped into your own version of hell. Plus, Roarke's team of assistants  one of whom was a female shape shifter  who were assigned to help create and maintain the various fantasy worlds created on the island, were imprisoned on the island in order to pay off some debt, sometimes hinting that they were in some kind of Limbo. Now how is that relaxing for an island vacation?

The occasional curious native or shipwrecked explorer aside, the biggest danger by far on this uncharted dese... Show More »

The occasional curious native or shipwrecked explorer aside, the biggest danger by far on this uncharted desert isle were the the seven castaways themselves, and especially Gilligan ( Bob Denver). Had he been able to get out of his own way, the castaways might have been able to escape in fewer than 98 episodes and three TV movies to get back to the mainland.

Two words: mutant babies. In the last segment of Larry Cohen's horror trilogy, the fl... Show More »

Two words: mutant babies. In the last segment of Larry Cohen's horror trilogy, the flesh-hungry, large-toothed children are banished to a deserted island. A few years later, one child's father and a group of scientists head there to check on the kids' progress, only to find they're all grown-up -- and still hungry.

Isla Nublar, meaning "Island of Clouds," is gorgeous enough to draw tourists, but no, that's not enough. They had... Show More »

Isla Nublar, meaning "Island of Clouds," is gorgeous enough to draw tourists, but no, that's not enough. They had to create a theme park full of cloned carnivorous dinosaurs there too. And despite genetic engineering efforts to keep them all female, they've somehow learned to breed ...

Simply put, this island of military school boys who are trying to survive after a plane crash that left no ... Show More »

Simply put, this island of military school boys who are trying to survive after a plane crash that left no adults around, is the original version of ABC's "Lost." It has its own Jack and Piggy (ie Hurley). OK, so the Oceanic survivors don't result to savagery and stoning each other to death. But the fact that children do such acts in this film should give anyone the willies. It's the return to the primal when societal trappings are gone, like TV... movies... chocolate (shudder).

There is nothing that won't kill you on "Lost's" mysterious Island. If you manage to dodge the Dharma-era polar bears... Show More »

There is nothing that won't kill you on "Lost's" mysterious Island. If you manage to dodge the Dharma-era polar bears, timeslips and hostile Others, the Island's smoke-monster defense system will tear you apart.

The island is Oahu, and the danger is to anyone who crosses Thomas Magnum (Tom Selleck). The Navy officer-turned-privat... Show More »

The island is Oahu, and the danger is to anyone who crosses Thomas Magnum (Tom Selleck). The Navy officer-turned-private eye faced his share of bad guys over eight seasons, but they had little chance against a guy as cool as Magnum.

The magic (read: performing pets) may all be in 11-year-old Nims head, but when her dad goes missing in the Pacif... Show More »

The magic (read: performing pets) may all be in 11-year-old Nims head, but when her dad goes missing in the Pacific, Nim is able to bring a reclusive author specializing in action-adventure novel out of her big city shell.

The Island of Misfit Toys is just full of forlorn toys that are nursing resentment after rejected for... Show More »

The Island of Misfit Toys is just full of forlorn toys that are nursing resentment after rejected for being "different." It's been confirmed that Misfit Dolly for Sue is suffering from depression, and you just know that the bird that swims but can't fly is vowing revenge after being tossed out of Santa's sleigh without an umbrella/parachute. Can you say " ticking time bomb"?

The danger on this island focused on its inhabitants, a handful of couples who agreed to live with a group of sing... Show More »

The danger on this island focused on its inhabitants, a handful of couples who agreed to live with a group of singles of the opposite sex in order to test the strength of their relationships. "Temptation Island" proves the grass is greener on the other side of the fence no matter what the location.

Ten people accept an invitation ... to die! Whenever nursery rhymes can be applied to a murder mystery, it'... Show More »

Ten people accept an invitation ... to die! Whenever nursery rhymes can be applied to a murder mystery, it's awesome. Agatha Christie's original novel -- remade many times in different locales -- had the group going to an Indian Island before being picked off by an unknown assailant. "Ten little Indians went out to dine, one choked on himself and then there were nine."

Another one of the most adapted themes ever is a big game hunter on an island chooses to hunt humans for spo... Show More »

Another one of the most adapted themes ever is a big game hunter on an island chooses to hunt humans for sport ( Joss Whedon's late "Dollhouse" had a similar hunting episode). Rarely seems fair that the hunted has rocks and fear while the hunter has honed skills, knowledge of the area, and a rifle.

From 'Lost' to 'Shutter Island': Dangerous islands of TV and film

Mark Ruffalo and Leonardo DiCaprio are federal marshals looking for a missing
mental patient in Martin Scorsese's latest thriller, "Shutter Island." Of
course, if these guys ever bothered to watch TV or go to the movies, they'd
have learned n...
Show More »

Mark Ruffalo and Leonardo DiCaprio are federal marshals looking for a missing
mental patient in Martin Scorsese's latest thriller, "Shutter Island." Of
course, if these guys ever bothered to watch TV or go to the movies, they'd
have learned not to set one foot on the island, which houses the Ashecliffe
Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Because if movies and TV have taught us
anything, it's that bad, awful, terrible things happen on islands.
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